Phrases and clauses

Phrase or clause: the first decisionOften examined

Words join into small groups before they make a sentence. In an MCQ the underlined part is always one of these groups, and your first job is to decide whether it is a phrase or a clause. This single decision removes half of the options in most FBISE questions.

Phrase

A group of words that works as one unit (like one noun, one adjective or one adverb) but does not have its own subject and finite verb. Example: under the old tree, wearing a red shirt, to win the trophy.

Clause

A group of words that has a subject and a finite verb. Example: when I arrive home (subject I, verb arrive), who was wearing a red shirt (subject who, verb was wearing).

Finite verb

A verb that shows tense and agrees with its subject: is, was, goes, went, will go, has gone, can play, had been waiting.

Non-finite verb (verbal)

A verb form that shows no tense by itself: the infinitive (to play), the -ing form (playing) and the past participle (played, written) when they stand without a helping verb. A group built on a non-finite verb is a phrase, not a clause.

Sentence

A group of words that makes complete sense. It contains at least one clause that can stand alone (an independent clause).

Two ways to name a phrase

A phrase can be named by its form (what it is built from) or by its function (the job it does in the sentence). FBISE uses both kinds of name, sometimes in the same question.

One phrase can carry two names at once. In The book on the shelf has been sold, the group on the shelf is a prepositional phrase by form and an adjectival phrase by function, because it tells us which book.

Noun phrases and verb phrases

Noun phrase

A noun phrase is a noun (the head) together with all the words that describe it. The describing words can come before the noun (the, my, three, new, tall) or after it (a prepositional phrase or a clause). The whole group does the jobs a single noun does.

Verb phrase

A verb phrase is the main verb together with its helping (auxiliary) verbs. Helping verbs are forms of be, have, do and the modals can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must. The main verb is always the last verb in the group; it carries the meaning.

Adjective (adjectival) phrasesOften examined

An adjective phrase (also called an adjectival phrase) is any phrase that does the job of an adjective: it describes a noun or a pronoun. It answers the questions which one? what kind? whose? how many? about that noun.

Position: an adjective with its modifiers usually comes before the noun (a very hot day) or after a linking verb such as be, seem, look, become (The jar is full of sugar). Prepositional, participial and infinitive phrases come right after the noun they describe.

Adverb (adverbial) phrases and the questions they answerOften examined

An adverb phrase (also called an adverbial phrase) is any phrase that does the job of an adverb. It describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or the whole sentence. It does not need to contain an adverb: with great speed has no adverb in it, yet it does the same job as the adverb quickly.

The quickest way to recognise an adverb phrase is to ask the verb a question. If the phrase is the answer to one of the questions below, it is adverbial.

Kinds of adverb phrase by form

• Adverb with its modifiers: very quickly, quite often, too slowly, as soon as possible.
• Prepositional phrase used as an adverb: across the field, with great speed, after lunch, because of the fog. This is the most tested kind.
• Infinitive phrase of purpose: She saved money to buy a laptop (why?). The tea is too hot to drink (to what extent?).
• Noun phrase of time or frequency: last night, every Sunday, this morning, next week.
• Sentence adverbial: a phrase that comments on the whole sentence: According to the teacher, the test will be taken tomorrow. In my opinion, the plan will work.

Prepositional phrases and compound prepositionsOften examined

A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with its object: a noun, a pronoun, or a gerund. Words that describe the object can sit in between.

Compound prepositions

A compound preposition is a group of two or more words that works as one preposition. The whole group, plus its object, is still one prepositional phrase. These are also tested in Section C, Q5 B.

Traps

The key skill: adjectival or adverbial?Often examined

Every prepositional phrase does one of two jobs. If it describes a noun, it is adjectival. If it tells how, when, where, why, how often or to what extent about a verb (or describes an adjective or an adverb), it is adverbial. FBISE tests this in almost every paper.

Which name when the options differ?

The same phrase can be called prepositional (its form) or adjectival/adverbial (its function). Read the question and the options together:

Appositive phrases

An appositive phrase is a noun phrase placed right next to another noun to rename or explain it. The two refer to the same person or thing.

Non-essential appositive

Extra information. The sentence is clear without it, so it is set off by commas: Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, is a green city.

Essential appositive

Needed to identify the noun, so no commas: The poet Iqbal wrote Shikwa. (Which poet? Iqbal.)

Infinitive, gerund and participial phrasesOften examined

A verbal is a verb form used as another part of speech. There are three: the infinitive (to + base verb), the gerund (-ing form used as a noun) and the participle (-ing, -ed or -en form used as an adjective). A verbal together with its object and modifiers is a verbal phrase. Verbals have no tense, so a verbal phrase is never a clause.

Infinitive phrase

Gerund phrase

A gerund phrase starts with an -ing word and does a noun's job. Test: replace it with it or this.

Participial phrase

A participial phrase starts with a participle and does an adjective's job: it describes a noun or pronoun. Test: you can put who is / which was in front of it.

The -ing test

Absolute phrases

An absolute phrase is a noun or pronoun followed by a participle (and often more words). It has its own 'subject' word but no finite verb, so it is a phrase. It is not joined to the sentence by any conjunction; it describes the whole sentence, giving the time, reason, condition or an extra detail. It is set off by commas.

Independent and dependent clauses; finding the main clauseOften examined

Every clause has a subject and a finite verb, but not every clause can stand alone. This gives two kinds of clause.

Independent clause (main clause)

A clause that makes complete sense on its own and could be a sentence by itself: the students left the class.

Dependent clause (subordinate clause)

A clause that has a subject and a finite verb but cannot stand alone, because it begins with a joining word that makes it depend on a main clause: when the bell rang. Said alone, it leaves the listener waiting for more.

Subordinator

The word that begins a dependent clause: a subordinating conjunction (because, when, if, although), a relative pronoun or adverb (who, which, that, where), or a wh-word or that/whether/if starting a noun clause.

Dependent clauses are named by the job they do, exactly like single words:

Sentence structure in one table

How to find the main clause

Noun clausesOften examined

A noun clause is a dependent clause that does a noun's job. It can be the subject, the object, the complement, the object of a preposition, or an appositive. The best test: replace the clause with it, something or this. If the sentence still works, it is a noun clause.

Words that begin noun clauses

• that: I think that he is right. In object clauses that is often dropped: I think he is right.
• whether / if: yes-no ideas: I wonder whether (if) she will come.
• wh-words: what, whatever, who, whoever, whom, whose, which, when, where, why, how: Nobody knows why he resigned.

If or whether?

Adjective (relative) clausesOften examined

An adjective clause (also called a relative clause) is a dependent clause that describes a noun or pronoun, called its antecedent. It comes right after that noun and begins with a relative pronoun or a relative adverb.

Defining and non-defining clauses

• Preposition + relative: the house in which he lives = the house where he lives = the house (that) he lives in.
• Which for a whole idea: He passed the exam, which pleased his parents. Here which refers to the whole main clause (the fact that he passed). It is always non-defining, with a comma.
• Reduced relative clause: The boy who is wearing a red shirt can be shortened to The boy wearing a red shirt. The clause becomes a participial (adjectival) phrase, because the finite verb is has gone.

Adverb clauses and their nine kindsOften examined

An adverb clause is a dependent clause that does an adverb's job. It tells us something about the main verb (or the whole main clause): when, where, why, for what purpose, on what condition, in spite of what, with what result, how, or compared with what. Most adverb clauses can move to the front of the sentence; then a comma follows them.

Traps: the same word, different clausesOften examined

Many subordinators can begin more than one kind of clause. The word does not decide the type; the job does. Look at the word just before the clause: a noun that the clause describes points to an adjective clause; a verb such as know, ask, wonder, tell or a preposition points to a noun clause; a clause that tells when, where, why or on what condition about the main verb is an adverb clause.

Decision flowchart: name any underlined partOften examined

Use this chart for every MCQ that asks The underlined part is a/an.... Start at step 1 and follow the arrows. It takes about ten seconds once you have practised it.

How FBISE tests phrases and clauses

Each 2026 paper had two to five MCQs from this unit and the model paper had four, so the unit is worth 2 to 5 of the 20 marks in Section A. The question patterns repeat.

Key terms

Phrase

A group of words that works as one unit but has no subject with a finite verb.

Clause

A group of words with a subject and a finite verb.

Finite verb

A verb that shows tense and agrees with its subject (is, went, will go, has gone).

Non-finite verb (verbal)

A verb form with no tense of its own: the infinitive, the gerund and the participle.

Head word

The main word of a phrase, which the other words describe (the noun in a noun phrase).

Noun phrase

A noun with its describing words, doing a noun's job: the new stadium in Multan.

Verb phrase

The main verb with its helping verbs: has been raining.

Adjective (adjectival) phrase

A phrase that describes a noun or pronoun and answers which one or what kind.

Adverb (adverbial) phrase

A phrase that describes a verb, adjective, adverb or whole sentence and answers how, when, where, why, how often or to what extent.

Prepositional phrase

A preposition followed by its object, with any describing words: under the old tree.

Object of a preposition

The noun, pronoun or gerund that follows a preposition: the table in under the table.

Compound preposition

Two or more words that work as one preposition: according to, in spite of, in accordance with.

Appositive phrase

A noun phrase placed beside another noun to rename it: Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

Infinitive phrase

A phrase built on to + base verb, working as a noun, adjective or adverb: to win the match.

Gerund phrase

A phrase built on an -ing word that does a noun's job: Running daily improves health.

Participial phrase

A phrase built on a participle that describes a noun: the boy wearing a red shirt.

Absolute phrase

A noun plus a participle, with no finite verb, that modifies the whole sentence: The weather being fine, we went out.

Independent (main) clause

A clause that makes complete sense and can stand alone as a sentence.

Dependent (subordinate) clause

A clause that has a subject and finite verb but cannot stand alone because it begins with a subordinator.

Subordinating conjunction

A word such as because, when, if, although that begins an adverb clause and joins it to a main clause.

Noun clause

A dependent clause that does a noun's job: subject, object, complement, object of a preposition or appositive.

Adjective (relative) clause

A dependent clause that describes a noun and begins with who, whom, whose, which, that, when, where or why.

Antecedent

The noun that a relative clause describes: man in the man who helped us.

Relative pronoun

who, whom, whose, which or that when it begins an adjective clause.

Relative adverb

when, where or why when it begins an adjective clause after a noun of time, place or reason.

Defining (restrictive) clause

A relative clause that tells which one is meant; it takes no commas and may use that.

Non-defining (non-restrictive) clause

A relative clause that adds extra information; it is set off by commas and never uses that.

Adverb clause

A dependent clause that does an adverb's job: time, place, reason, purpose, condition, concession, result, manner or comparison.

Concession

An idea that might be expected to stop the main action but does not: although he was ill.

Reduced relative clause

A relative clause shortened to a phrase by dropping who/which + be: the boy (who is) wearing a red shirt.

Fragment

A group of words punctuated as a sentence but lacking a main clause: Because it was raining.

Comma splice

Two independent clauses joined only by a comma.

Dangling participle

A participial phrase that does not describe the subject after it: Walking to school, the rain started.

Simple, compound and complex sentences

One independent clause; two or more independent clauses; one independent clause with at least one dependent clause.

FBISE paper questions

Questions from the FBISE HSSC-II 2026 (1st Annual) papers, the old-syllabus paper and FBISE model papers that belong to this unit, answered the way an examiner expects.

Exam focus

1. Decide whether a prepositional phrase is adjectival or adverbial (the book on the shelf / ran across the field). (mcq)
   Tested in Set B, Set D, Set A and four times on the model paper.
   Go to answer
2. Identify the prepositional phrase, including compound prepositions such as according to and in accordance with. (mcq)
   Set B Q7 and Q18, Set D Q6, Set A Q1 and Q18 in 2026.
   Go to answer
3. State the question an adverb phrase answers (how, when, where, why). (mcq)
   Model paper (vii); follows directly from the adverb phrase table.
   Go to answer
4. Name an underlined clause: adverb clause vs adjective clause vs noun clause (when I arrive home; if you need me). (mcq)
   Set B Q4 and Q10, old syllabus Q1 and Q7.
   Go to answer
5. Tell an adjective clause with when/where (the days when there was no TV) from an adverb clause of time or place. (mcq)
   The classic trap; MCQs do not repeat, so the reverse case is likely next.
   Go to answer
6. Tell a noun clause with if/whether after ask or know from an adverb clause of condition. (mcq)
   Same word, different clause: an easy distractor for examiners.
   Go to answer
7. Name the kind of adverb clause: time, reason, purpose, condition, concession, result, manner, comparison. (mcq)
   Framework lists subordinating conjunctions linking dependent clauses; conjunction lists decide the type.
   Go to answer
8. Recognise participial, gerund, infinitive, appositive and absolute phrases. (mcq)
   Set D Q9 (wearing a red shirt), Set A Q3 and old Q11 (gerunds); appositive is named in the framework.
   Go to answer
9. Choose who/whom/whose/which/that and punctuate defining and non-defining clauses. (mcq)
   Relative pronoun MCQs (old syllabus Q4) and Q5 A editing errors.
   Go to answer
10. Use the decision flowchart to name any underlined part in ten seconds. (mcq)
    One routine answers every item type in this unit.
    Go to answer